A TOWN HALL meeting is required for residents to contribute to the future of the Leeming Recreation Centre, according to a local community advocate. 

The Chook spoke to our regular consultant on all things Leeming, Con Abbott, who has once again demanded the community have an earlier say about the future of the rec centre, which is currently being investigated by the City of Melville and could be a “life changing” decision for the suburb. 

“The City had a consultation process with what they termed ‘stakeholders’, except what I believe is the most important stakeholder, and that is the local community,” Mr Abbott said. 

“The City asks for input from the community about all kinds of things… the one that’s sticking in my head at the moment is the ferry terminal at the Raffles, and there’s no doubt they’re regularly inviting comments and feedback, but there hasn’t even been an email [about the LRC]. 

“I think a ‘town hall’ is the best way, because people have got busy lives… I think, for the investment, one or two nights by management and the [City] to gauge what people want from the future of the LRC.”

City of Melville CEO Gail Bowman says there will be “comprehensive community engagement” next year, pending input from the Department of Education thanks to Leeming Senior High School’s use of the facility. 

“The Leeming Recreation Centre forms part of the provision of facilities for the Leeming Senior High School and so at this stage, the City needs to understand the Department of Education’s future views which will determine the options the City has moving forward,” Ms Bowman said. 

Mr Abbott appears not to buy that reasoning, saying he does not know why it’s “being put up as a barrier” for community consultation. 

• Con Abbott wants a town hall-style meeting so Leeming locals can have more say about the future of their rec centre. Photo by Katherine Kraayvanger

Change

“The reality is the Education Department did not tip in a lot of money to start with, and I think that is an issue… I think any redevelopment the Education Department has to come up with a fair chunk of change,” Mr Abbott said. 

“It’s not just LSHS, I know from when my kids went to West Leeming, they used it for musical stuff… undoubtedly, you would have three primary schools and high schools all using that upgraded facility. 

“I don’t understand the rationale… if the Education Department is holding things back, I don’t think that’s a valid reason not to engage with the city, and it’s not like it’s switch on, switch off.” 

Ms Bowman also referenced a needs analysis and pre-feasibility study which the Chook reported on in September, saying it was an “early planning exercise” to “better understand the key challenges of the building” and estimate costs. 

“As a result, the City does not wish to commence a wider engagement process until these costs are known and it’s clear what the City can deliver upon. 

“Following the completion of the pre-feasibility report and council being briefed, additional planning will be required, and wider community engagement will occur at this time. 

“It is expected this information will be used to inform community engagement and the next stage of planning.” 

Mr Abbott says consultation should start earlier, regardless of the pre-feasibility report: “You can walk and chew gum. 

“You can go to those meetings and say, ‘we want your feedback today of what you want from this kind of facility’, with a massive caveat that [the City hasn’t] determined what the facility would look like. 

“You don’t need to have this staggered approach, [because] they say the City does not wish to commence a wider engagement process [if it is] uninformed or on something it cannot deliver, but to me, it wasn’t uninformed when it talked to the other stakeholders.”

by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER